Like Nicotine
by ravendream
Summary: [AU, ItaSakuSasu centered, many pairings] The ones you love most hurt you the worst, sex doesn't always denote caring, and just because you're with someone doesn't mean you want to be. Love is like a drug... what's your addiction?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I've been apprehensive about doing a Naruto AU, but it just seems like too much fun to pass up. This will be a _bit _ooc (as usually happens with AUs, so I'm not really that upset about it). I had to write a highschool fic. Because I'm lame like that. I think if I successfully complete this one, I might move on to a darker AU. And maybe a college-based one because they offer a lot more plotline freedom than high school fics, and college is more fun anyway :)

Before I start (and I know that I've said this a million times between LJ, MySpace, and but it needs to be said again), I really want to acknowledge and thank my beta reader for this story, UchihaSakuraxItachi. She's been such an amazing help, a great new friend, and I really enjoy working with her.

Disclaimer (to be applied to all following chapters): I do not own Naruto or the characters- they are the property of Masashi Kishimoto. I also don't own any songs from which lyrics are used. All I own is the storyline, title, etc.

About the title...  
_"In small doses nicotine has a stimulating effect, increasing activity, alertness and memory... It also increases the heart rate and blood pressure and reduces appetite. In large doses nicotine may cause vomiting and nausea. Large doses are poisonous to most animals and to humans.  
__Nicotine seems to provide both a stimulant and a depressant effect, and it is possible that the effect it has at any time is determined by the mood of the user, the environment and the circumstances of use. Studies have suggested that low doses have a stimulant effect, while higher doses have a depressant effect.  
__Repeat users of nicotine very often develop a physical dependency to the chemical."  
_- Taken (and edited slightly) from Wikipedia

**Like Nicotine  
**Chapter One  
By Bunny-Chan

As soon as she stepped out of her house into the rain, she knew it was going to be a bad day.

A few students were walking underneath large umbrellas, though they moved much more slowly than she did.

_I have to beat him there!_ She thought frantically, breaking into a run.

Of course, it wasn't that she was competitive, really (Okay, so that was a total lie, but she would never admit it.) She had her pride.

A pride which wouldn't let her be beaten by the one boy who was able to keep up with her pace in anything and everything.

She rounded a corner, oblivious to the fact that there was someone standing right in her path. She flew into him unexpectedly, tripping.

Her mind slowly registered the fact that she was heading toward the concrete sidewalk.

Except she didn't hit.

The arms keeping her up were strong, holding her fast. She looked up into a pair of eyes that were an all-too familiar black, though he was a stranger to her.

She had seen those eyes before, but before she could place them with mental images of any of the many people she knew, he threw his cigarette to the ground, one arm still around her awkwardly.

"You should be more careful where you're going."

That was how it started.  
That was how Haruno Sakura met Uchiha Itachi.

"Obviously you can't be trusted to get wherever you're going safely on your own…" The smile he gave her was nearly impossible to read. It was more smug than anything, but captivating. His long black hair hung in a ponytail down his back, the sides framing an impossibly beautiful face. "I guess I should go along to make sure you're okay."

Her cheeks felt warm, and her tongue wouldn't move. Unable to do anything but nod dumbly, she let him walk alongside her. She searched her mind for something to say, but he beat her to it.

"Where are you headed then, the middle school?"

She immediately glared up at him, thoroughly offended.

"No, I'm in high school!" He gave her a look, but more one of curiosity than of surprise or disbelief.

"Haven't seen you around the school before."

"I'm a freshman." She admitted quietly. The statement, much to her chagrin, was followed by a sharp laugh from the obviously older boy.

"You're a bit eager for a freshman." He lit another cigarette, letting it hang from his thin lips as he spoke. "You're more than an hour early. The place probably isn't even unlocked yet." She turned a deeper shade of red, sure that he must be thinking she was not only too young, but also foolish.

"You're out awfully early yourself." He took the cigarette from his mouth after another drag and tapped a finger against it to release the ashes held at the end.

"No smoking on school property. No smoking at home. Can't start the day without one. I'm sure you can add that up yourself."

She found that despite her earlier nervousness, talking to him was getting much easier, especially when she got the chance to lecture.

"Smoking's bad for you, you know. Emphysema, lung cancer, yellow teeth!" As she did this, she took her normal lecturing stance. Head tipped down in a know-it-all fashion, and finger wagging as if it were about to fall off.

The boy smirked again.

"Addiction's a funny thing." The words were quiet, even seductive if they had been said under the right circumstances. Sakura turned slightly pink again, then huffed a bit and shrugged her shoulders.

"I wouldn't know."

"I'm betting that will change soon." She looked up at him, lip curling in an astonished curiosity.

"Wha-" Without even a glance, he jerked his head to the side, drawing her attention to the school. With the company, no matter how strange he was, she noticed that the walk seemed to go so much quicker.

"Well, this is where I'll leave you. I've still got time to kill." He turned to walk away, stopping momentarily at her voice.

"Wait! Can I at least get your name? I'm Haruno Sakura."

He looked back, that constant smirk still plastered on his face.

"I'm also betting we'll meet again."  
------------------------------------------

Sakura rounded the next corner, making her way through the school's outside entrance. The light rain had stopped, but she was still cold, shivering partially from that, and partially from the effect the strange boy from just minutes ago had on her.

The cold was chased away by the heat of rage, however, when she saw the lone figure sitting on the school's steps, waiting for the doors to be opened.

"YOU!" She seethed, pointing accusingly at the boy, who barely paid the gesture any notice.

"Hn."

"Don't ignore me, Uchiha!"

"I told you not to call me that." He stood up, drawing Sakura's attention away from him and instead to the stretch of concrete behind her. "Ohayou, Kakashi-Sensei." Approaching them was a silver-haired young man, dressed down like always.

"You two are here early again. Leave it to the top two students to set good examples, eh?" Sakura shot another death-glare at Sasuke before turning back to Kakashi excitedly.

"Kakashi-Sensei! The grades! Who scored highest?!"

"The grades? I haven't the foggiest idea of what you're talking about..."

"LIAR! The school entrance exams!" Kakashi grinned, always content to pick on one of his favorite young students.

"It was a tie, I'm afraid." Sakura and Sasuke both gaped for a moment, mouths open in undignified shock. "You both aced it, of course." Sakura sighed. She had exhausted herself preparing for the exam, promising that she would beat Sasuke once and for all. So when the day of the exam came, she arrived early, calculator and pens in hand. Every answer was carefully thought through and diligently written out, neat and concise.

Her only mistake was not realizing Sasuke would do the exact same thing.

_One of these days... One of these days I'll beat you.  
_-----------------------------

Itachi watched the girl walk into the building, still examining her.

He had to admit, for being so young, she was nearly perfection.

Maybe not so much with the self-righteousness that came off of her in waves, but certainly in looks. Her rare pink hair was exquisite, a strange combination against the shimmering green of her eyes.

Something about her captivated him. Surprising, since he wasn't easily interested in anything.

He always got what he wanted.

He wanted _her.  
_-----------------------------

The day had not been going well for Sakura.

All of her late night studying (as well as the occasional all-nighter) had exhausted her. Barely able to pay attention in class, it wasn't long before her teacher, Kurenai-Sensei noticed that something was off.

"Sakura, I'd like to speak with you for a moment." The entire class turned to look at her in her usual front row seat, wondering what was happening. Kurenai was usually a no-nonsense teacher, so it was unheard of that she would digress in the middle of a lesson.

"You seem very distracted today. Is something the matter?"

"I apologize, Kurenai-Sensei..." Sakura bowed, avoiding her teacher's eyes. Falling asleep in class was definitely something to be ashamed of, by her standards. By Kurenai-Sensei's standards, it was practically a sin. Instead of scolding her, however, Kurenai looked up at her with concern.

"I know you have rather erratic study habits, Sakura... You have to stop doing this to yourself." The older woman sighed, shaking her head and setting off a cascade of black waves. "It's obvious that you're not simply ignoring lessons- I know you work too hard for that. I'll give you leave for the rest of the day. Go out and relax, then go home and get some sleep." Sakura bowed again.

"Yes... Kurenai-Sensei. Thank you..."

That was how she had come to be laying on a park bench staring at the clouds when she should have been in classes. The park was always empty at this time of day and would remain so until the elementary classes were released and, for the moment, she was just too tired to walk all the way home.

_I can't believe I did all that work and I couldn't beat him. Like always._

All throughout junior high, her grades had been impeccable.

So had Uchiha Sasuke's.

Both striving for perfection, neither had ever quite taken to the fact that they seemed only able to tie with each other. Sure, they were both receiving perfect marks, but the key word was _both_. They had _both_ received perfect marks, making neither one better than the other. Which meant neither was the _best_.

Thus, while all the other girls were fawning over his dark eyes and mysterious attitude, she stood alone, watching the display with disgust, and wondering if the next exam would be the deciding factor in their ongoing competition.

_Just don't think about it..._ Even in her head, the words seemed tired and drawn out.

Stretching out in the sunshine, she let herself fall asleep, dreams graced by the presence of a mysterious, dark boy.  
-----------------------------------

**A/N:** There will be a lot of pairings in this, but I'm not giving them away yet. And the rating is subject to change. I've been arguing with myself over future content. I also put together a soundtrack for this (yay!). Which I shall include the tracklist for next time. Just because I love the cd I made for it.

... Itachi's just a bitch to characterize, isn't he?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Thank you guys so much for the reviews- I'm glad to see people liked the beginning of this story!

Before I start, as promised, if Like Nicotine had a soundtrack, this would be it:  
01. Bloc Party- This Modern Love  
02. Good Charlotte- Seasons  
03. Taking Back Sunday- ...Slowdance on the Inside  
04. Frou Frou- Let Go  
05. Straylight Run- Existentialism on Prom Night  
06. Bloc Party- Blue Light  
07. Taking Back Sunday- New American Classic  
08. Mira- Divine  
09. Straylight Run- Mistakes We Knew We Were Making  
10. Eve 6- Here's to the Nights  
11. Vanessa Carlton- Rinse  
12. John Ralston- Gone Gone Gone  
13. Bloc Party- So Here We Are  
14. Michelle Branch- All You Wanted  
15. 9 Days- If I Am  
16. Dashboard Confessional- Vindicated  
Just for anyone who wants to hear what I play every time I'm working on this story.

So here goes chapter two, and once again- thanks to UchihaSakuraxItachi, my wonderful beta reader.

**Like Nicotine  
**Chapter Two  
By Bunny-Chan

He watched his brother walk out the double doors at the end of the day, fighting back the nagging urge to say something sarcastic as the younger boy walked by.

Itachi was often guilty of being an instigator, but at the moment he was too focused on keeping his eyes searching for the color pink to get himself into a useless argument.

He had figured it wouldn't be very difficult at all to spot her among the students littering the hallway... Apparently that assumption was incorrect, and he wasn't going to completely waste his time on the search for some girl, no matter how pretty she was.

"You seem awfully intent on something." The sweet voice was laced with poison by nature- a voice that could belong to only one person.

"What do you want, Kin?" His glare was met with a smirk as she stared back at him. After a moment, she leaned against his locker, sweeping her impossibly long hair behind her.

She was a beautiful girl: rosy skin and dark eyes, facial features any actress or model would kill for, and pouty lips that could make the harshest of words worth listening to.

Unfortunately, she had a heart harder than diamond to go along with that beauty.

Today she seemed even unhappier than usual- Trimmed pink nails bit into the skin of her crossed arms, bringing back fleeting memories of the tiny scars she'd left on his back more than once when they were "together", while her lips were curled into a sneer to match the accusation in her glaring eyes.

"_What_ are you looking for?" She asked as he again took quick glances around the emptying hallway.

"You have practice." Itachi acknowledged, eying her blue and white soccer uniform, '#1' printed boldly across the front.

"That's not an answer."

"A girl." At the word 'girl', she went absolutely livid. Itachi smirked slightly.

"What for?" He shrugged, giving up his inactive search and turning toward the door.

"She's quite pretty. I was thinking of asking her to do something." His lips were twitching dangerously close enough to be considered grinning- he couldn't help it. Normally he wouldn't have just bluntly come out with something like that, but the shock on her face was definitely worth it. He had to hold back from laughing as he heard her run after him.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?! Hey! Don't you _dare_ walk away from me!" His eyes were dangerously sharp when he turned to her, looking down at the hand that was daringly wrapped around his wrist. "You and I are _not_ over." She seethed, teeth bared menacingly. Itachi pulled back from her grip with a scowl.

"I was under the impression that we were over when we broke up. Again."

"It's never permanent! You're not allowed to go out with other girls!" He almost thought he could see some hint of tears rising in her eyes, but decided they were only shining in anger. Kin probably didn't know what crying even _was_.

He was about to respond with some bitter, cunning remark (that he admittedly hadn't thought of yet, but had faith would come out when he opened his mouth), when a young blonde freshman ran into the hallway.

"Captain! Gai-Sensei sent me to find you!" Kin snarled slightly, annoyed by the interruption.

"Coming, Ino." She turned back to Itachi, giving him one final glare. "This isn't over."

Itachi watched her walk away. He was used to her tantrums, and the more sympathetic part of him didn't blame her for this one.

They had started going out in tenth grade, and had broken up repeatedly since. The general impression left upon the girls in the school was that Itachi was Kin's territory: Stay away or face the consequences.

And Kin was not someone that most girls wanted to start trouble with.

Then again, Itachi was not someone who often met girls who captured his interest.

It was quite possible that, this time, he and Kin were over for good.  
------------------------------

It was evening when he finally saw her again, on his daily jog through the neighborhood.

She was stretched out on the park bench, fast asleep. That stunning pink hair was falling in strands across her face and pooling onto the wood beneath her.

The image she painted was one of fragility in its purest form, capturing his attention as soon as it had come into his view.

"There you are." He whispered softly, moving the stray hair from her face. She didn't stir.

_What the hell is she doing out here? Sleeping, no less..._ It wasn't concern.

Uchiha Itachi was never _concerned_. Simply curious.

He knew he had two choices: Stay and wait for her to wake up, or walk away.

He chose to stay.  
------------------------------

_Mmm... Sleep feels nice..._ Keeping her eyes closed, she moved to snuggle further into her blankets and avoid the unusual cold. Instead of cloth and cotton, she snuggled into a hard panel of wood.

"Huh?!" Sakura's eyes shot open, taking in the sight of the back of the wooden bench. She propped herself up on her forearm, and her adjusting eyes revealed trees, and tall structures of metal and wood. A playground.

The park.

"You really just can't be trusted to take care of yourself, can you?"

"What?!" The sudden motion caused her neck to pop painfully, but she was too surprised to really notice. "Oh... it's you..."

Sitting on the ground next to her makeshift "bed" was the boy from earlier that day. His face gazed upward toward the bright moon, but his eyes were clearly focused on her. Their sharp darkness seemed amplified by the night, capturing her own easily.

"Fortunately it's me, at least for you. Don't you know what happens to girls who hang out in parks at night?"

Sakura looked at her surroundings. The tiredness fogging her mind cleared away to finally reveal the question that _should_ have come to her first: _Why am I in the park...?_ Slowly she recalled leaving school early and curling up in the sunlight on her way home. _I can't believe I let that happen!_ Between the self-reprimand and the astonishment at the mysterious boy's reappearance, she'd practically forgotten that she had no idea of the time and (even worse, or at least in her eyes) she hadn't touched any of her homework yet.

"Shit!" Before she'd finished the word, she covered her mouth. "Sorry... I'm just... Dammit, I can't believe this."

He smiled that smile of his- the all-knowing, overly-confident smirk that would have made anyone _else_ look ridiculously egotistical- and stood, holding a hand out to her.

"By now I'm certain you won't be able to get yourself home without falling asleep or tripping along the way. I may as well walk you." For a moment she glanced at his outstretched hand suspiciously, but one look into those dark eyes and she found herself unable to hold back from accepting the offer.

They left the park in silence, and it continued as she led the way through the empty streets. Every once in awhile she glanced up at him, willing him to speak. He outlasted her though, and she finally found herself giving in just as they had reached her sidewalk. .

"Why do you care?" The question caught him off guard, but he didn't look down at her.

"What?"

"I said... why do you care? You don't know me, but this is the second time you- mmph!?"

The feeling of his lips against hers cut her off immediately (with the exception of that one awkward noise that had to gracelessly escape), but as quickly as it had happened, it had also stopped, and she watched him walk away down the street.

"Wait! I still don't have your name!" She'd cried out the words more loudly than she meant to. A dog somewhere in the neighborhood began barking, and a slight worry arose in her that someone in the house might have heard it.

But he just kept walking forward, lifting his right arm and making a gesture she could only read as "See you later"

"... Bye." She whispered, stuck somewhere between numbly shocked and annoyed. She waited until she couldn't see him anymore, then quietly slipped inside and went to bed without even changing.  
-------------------------------------------------------

**A/N:** Definitely don't expect as quick an update for chapter three. I have major writer's block right now, and even when I finish it still has to go to UchihaSakuraxItachi for review, and then I'll probably go over it a few times after I've gotten her reply. I'm hoping it'll only take a few days to get back on track, but sometimes it can take awhile... I'm hoping to maybe finish it over the weekend though (and maybe make it longer), and start doing Friday updates.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thanks to the reviewers! I love you guys.

As much as I love this story though, what really depresses me about it is that one of my all-time favorite characters (who I'm not naming here) is going to pretty much go through hell, and won't be having a happy ending. Damn.

Also, as I don't live in Japan and have never been, I'm not going to base this completely off Japanese culture or school system or so on... I started using honorifics occasionally, so I'll most likely continue that, but things like school and such are going to be based on what I've experienced in _my_ education, for example. Sorry if this bothers anyone- I just don't feel that I have the right to write things I don't have much experience in.

Thanks again to my wonderful beta reader, UchihaSakuraxItachi. She deserved a giant hug for being pwnsome :D

**Like Nicotine  
**Chapter Three  
By Bunny-Chan

Sasuke bit back a growl when he heard his brother slip back into the house.

His parents wouldn't hear, of course. And even if they _had_ heard it, they would undoubtedly be content with some painfully obvious lie similar to "I was at the library studying for a test."

God, how it annoyed him.

Meanwhile, he was being extremely careful to not let any of them know he was still awake. That was the most important thing- He would never let anyone know just how hard he was working to stay at the level he'd achieved. That meant insane study hours, and he'd been at it for a long time already. The books and notebooks spread around him were starting to blur together, the words hardly even legible anymore.

_"Your grades aren't bad. Are you at the top of your class?" _

_"Well... Kind of." _

"'Kind of'? What does that mean, boy?"

_"I'm... tied for top of my class." _

"I expect you to shape up. Be more like your brother- he would never settle for mere equality."

If it weren't for a pure lack of energy, the memory would have driven Sasuke to take every single one of his textbooks and throw them out the window (or at his brother's face...). It did not merely _bother_ him- it _infuriated_ him.

For years, he had been the perfect son. As a child he had been quiet and obedient. As soon as he'd started school, he'd gotten perfect grades. Even his elementary school work was flawless. He was just as perfect as Itachi.

Unfortunately, he'd been born with the curse of being a younger brother.

Of _course_ he couldn't match Itachi. Itachi had come first.

His achievements were not extraordinary, as Itachi's had been considered... they were simply expected. To be recognized he would have to _surpass_ his older brother in some way.

If only his parents had any idea of how Itachi really was.

It wasn't as if he'd walked in on his brother committing any terrible crimes... Just trivial things: Sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night, lying about where he was going... just those little things most parents would overreact about. It wouldn't even have bothered him except for the fact that Itachi was treated like a god in their family.

Sometimes he wondered what it was like to live like Itachi did.

Both boys had been popular throughout their school years, but Itachi had the _time_ to make his social life happen, while the only relationships Sasuke had ever really had were almost empty. In elementary school he had had both a best friend and a "girlfriend", though the latter seemed quite silly at his current age (though Yamanaka Ino would never let any of her female classmates live down the fact that _she_ had gone out with Uchiha Sasuke for two weeks). Uzumaki Naruto was still close to him, but Sasuke's studies took him in a very different direction from carefree Naruto, and they just didn't really have the _time_ to hang out anymore.

Fortunately, he had never been one for sentimentality and, aside from random moments of envy, the loneliness did not bother him.

Uchiha Sasuke was not defined by his friends, or the amount of girlfriends he'd had.

He was not defined by his looks, or money.

Sasuke was defined solely by his achievements, and he _would_ come out on top in the end, because he _had_ to. There was no other option.

It was a crash from Itachi's room that jolted him out of his thoughts. He could hear one of his parents shuffle down the hallway and muffled conversation taking place. Biting his lip to stop the oncoming yawn, he quickly stretched, and then continued filling his notebook with anything he could pull out of the text.

It was going to be another long night.  
-------------------------------------------------------

Adjusting her accidentally too-short skirt, Mitarashi Anko tried to remember a single Friday in her life that had gone well, and found it to be beyond impossible.

_I _thought_ I could dry it if I took it out after a few minutes! If only I hadn't forgotten..._ She tugged on the disobedient fabric again, and tried to swallow back the regret at her choice of outfit that day. It had seemed very fashionable at first, but her favorite boots, now paired with the shrunken skirt, made her look less like a professional and more like a higher-class hooker. _Dammit..._

"Good morning, Mitarashi-San. Don't you look... nice." She took notice that the word 'nice' was said rather snidely, but didn't bother to meet his gaze. She didn't need to see the speaker to know that it was the one person at her office that she _despised_.

"Good morning to you too, _Kabuto_." She heard the young man emit a low growl at her disrespect before walking angrily away and she smirked with satisfaction.

_Little brat... _

"Mitarashi-San... I should hope you'll show your coworker a bit respect." The voice came from behind her this time.

"O-Orochimaru-Sama... I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean- I mean I was just... joking and..." Her skin was already on fire. She could only hope no one noticed. "... sorry, sir." Orochimaru's oppressive eyes lifted their gaze and the violet-haired woman sighed audibly- quite a stupid mistake. Her boss grinned widely before taking a step back towards his own office.

"I suppose I should be flattered, Mitarashi-San, that I can raise the nerves of such a beautiful woman."

Anko squeezed her eyes shut, waiting until his chuckling and footsteps faded away to let her head hit the desk.

"I. Hate. Fridays."  
-------------------------------------------------------

Sasuke always reached the classroom early- something he was more proud of than a normal, healthy teenage boy probably should be.

The only other person present in the classroom was Haruno Sakura, though she had fallen asleep at her desk this morning. Honestly, he wasn't surprised. It wasn't that he _cared_ of course. He just found it curious that such a serious girl would let herself keep falling asleep in the classroom, and even during class.

Maybe he wouldn't have competition for much longer?

"Oh, I'm glad your both here early!" Sakura tiredly blinked her eyes open and managed a glare at Sasuke before they both turned their attention to their teacher.

"I'm going to be assigning a creative-writing project today. The idea is to create an anthology. All the writing inside, poetry, captions, etc, must be yours, but you can use art from others if you wish... Now, Sasuke, I know writing isn't your greatest talent,, and Sakura, you've been having ... difficulties lately. Because of that, I'd prefer neither of you is left carrying a full project, which always seems to happen when you work with lower-ranked students."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow.

_Is there a point to this...?_ Kurenai finished shuffling her papers and sat behind her desk.

"You have one week to complete this project." She smiled lightly. "I'm sure the two of you will make a great team!"

"... WHAT?!"  
-------------------------------------------------------

**A/N:** Mostly filler and pretty short, I know. But I did manage to introduce a couple of the minor characters that will be appearing again, so yay!


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Ooh yay, I'm excited to get more characters in here. While ItaSakuSasu is the main focus of this fic, other characters are going to play a role, and there will definitely be other pairings, some of which are very common, and others that I'm even surprised I'm writing at all.

Once again, thanks to all the people who reviewed (I'm so grateful!) and also to UchihaSakuraxItachi for just being majorly pwnsome, as well as my beta reader for this story.

**Like Nicotine  
**Chapter Four  
By Bunny-Chan

It was impossible to mistake that pink head of hair, especially in the empty hallway.

What could he say? Every once in awhile class proved to be too boring, and he would pull out some excuse to get out of it.

She didn't look up, and probably would have passed by him if he hadn't coughed lightly to gain her attention.

"It's you!"

"Sakura... cancel your plans for tonight."  
--------------------------------------

_Tap. Tap. Tap. _

Everytime the tip of his sneaker came in contact with the cream-tiled floor, he grew more impatient.

_Where is that damn annoying, whiney, little-_

"Sasuke!" His eyebrow quirked upward at the sound of his _first_ name coming from her lips. He was so used to her calling him "Uchiha" in that bitter voice she reserved just for him.

He turned to make some sarcastic comment, but was shocked to see the huge smile plastered on her face.

"Let's hurry and get to work, Sasuke!" She grabbed his wrist and pulled him into the library, settling down into a secluded corner.

_What's with her?_

"Why the hurry? You were the one who was late to begin with." Sakura blinked.

"Oh... I almost forgot... I can't work on the project tonight afterall." He forced his face to keep still, fighting off the over-used twitch-of-annoyance.

"... Why not?" The blush that brightened her cheeks was impossible to miss.

_I don't want to hear this, do I...?_

"Uh..." Her mouth opened a couple times as if she were searching for an answer. "Something came up at home! Sorry. There's just no way I can make it tonight." Her face had taken on a bright red hue by this point- a telltale sign that she was lying. "We can do it tomorrow!"

"... Fine." Sakura's mouth drew into a frown at the word. Maybe he had sounded a bit too angry, but Uchiha Sasuke certainly was not a fan of spontaneity. Sakura's eyes hardened a bit and her mouth set into a fine line.

"... Let's get to work." The reply was sharp, and the follow-up was complete silence, as Sasuke stood to get books, and Sakura pulled out a notebook, stuffing a small, folded paper inside.  
--------------------------------------

The day had seemed to progress far too slowly for Sakura, but upon its end she had immediately rushed home, mumbling to herself.

"I have to shower before I can do my hair! Oh no, what should I wear tonight?!" A few obscenities found their way out amongst the wonderings- something that earned her a few curious (as well as frightened) looks as she made her way down the sidewalk.

She didn't even check to see if anyone was home yet- just rushed up to her room and stood in front of the mirror. A small smile crossed her face.

It was time to get to work.  
--------------------------------------

"SASUKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Forget frequency- just the _volume_ alone was enough to break windows. "Just come to the party, stupid-face!" He was holding the receiver two feet away from his ear and could still hear the boy as if he were screaming right next to his face.

Sasuke was not amused.

"I told you, idiot. I have things to do." With that, he hung up the phone, hitting his head against the wall when he faintly heard someone screaming down the street.

_Why can't he ever be quiet...?_

In truth, Sasuke didn't have anything to do that night. Some small part of him even almost wanted to go to TenTen's party, but he knew it would be a mistake. Being around other people like that was _always_ a mistake.

And thus he would stay in and study instead.

He left the kitchen to head up to his room, when the doorbell rang.

It wasn't the fact that someone was at the door that surprised him.

It was what he saw standing there.

"... Sakura?"

He remembered their original plans to work that night on the project, but she had canceled them, and even still, didn't look like she was prepared to spend the night inside doing bookwork.

Pink hair was swept up into a messy ponytail and clipped underneath, the sides falling lightly around her face. She was dressed in a short black dress, paired with black flats, and her pink-painted lips were open wide in shock.

"Sa... Sasuke...?"

"You're early." Sasuke turned at the sound of his brother's voice.

"I... um... you're..." Her mouth continued to move without making sound, emerald eyes widening larger than he thought possible.

"Why are you here to see my brother?"

"... brother...? Oh my god... I mean..." Itachi smirked, lightly brushing Sasuke to the side.

"Early is fine. We can find _other_ ways to fill our time." At the suggestive intonation of "other", Sasuke's eyes hardened.

He didn't care about Haruno Sakura one bit, but he'd be damned if he was going to just _let_ Itachi do _anything_ to one of his classmates. Sasuke wasn't the most caring person in the world, but he wasn't the type to stand by and let others get hurt. Afterall, he didn't trust his brother one bit.

"Sakura, I need to speak with you." He took the girl's arm in his hand and started to pull her into the house, but was halted when Itachi put one arm around her, and used the other hand to grab Sasuke's arm and pull it away from Sakura's before she even had the chance to protest being dragged around like a doll.

"Sorry, little brother, but you have no business with my girlfriend." Then he led her out the door, and shut it behind them.

Sasuke sighed and leaned back against the wall.

"... Shit."  
--------------------------------------

**A/N:** Once again... short, and mostly filler.

I do have a reason for ending it there though. In the next chapter, the Itachi/Sakura relationship is going to be pushed along, though maybe not in the greatest direction. Also, Shikamaru will be introduced (yay!), as well as TenTen and Neji, hopefully. Maybe even some more.

I'm going to start trying to lengthen chapters as well, because I realized this won't be very short... there are too many characters and storylines I'd like to pull into it for it to not be lengthy... So hopefully next update (which may be sooner than this was) will be longer and more will happen in it.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Wow guys, sorry it's taken me so incredibly long on this... Everything's just snowballed on me in the past couple years. My grandmother was diagnosed with cancer, and died just over a year ago, and I recently moved to Canada to finish school.

I've been writing a lot more lately, and am doing NaNoWriMo this year even. I hope to give more attention to this story as it was one of my favorite little fanprojects.

Thank you all for being so patient - it means a lot to me. Also great thanks to fuga, who wrote a really nice PM to me to ask how I was and show some support for the story even though it's been hanging so long. I really appreciated it.

And forgive me if this chapter is terribly short and absolutely horrid - I need to readjust again to writing this. Also, this is the _only_ chapter to go unbeta'd. Just for the sake of time so that I can get this done and posted, and I don't want to rush my poor beta writer when it's been so long since I've talked to her.

Quote from Taking Back Sunday's "Bonus Mosh Pt. II".

**Like Nicotine**

Chapter Five

By Bunny-Chan

_"Well it's love, make it hurt."_

When Anko had woken up that morning, she'd planned on dressing nicely that day, making it through work efficiently, taking two hours for a gym visit, and getting home just in time for a microwaved tv dinner and her favorite television show.

Instead, her clothes had shrunk, making her look more like a classy hooker than a refined business woman, and then, in a rush to make a last-minute rescheduling for a meeting, a rather painful tripping incident had occured, which had landed her first on a desk, and then on the floor.

She had felt a small thrill when a certain, ivory-skinned man had helped her up, but then that feeling dropped into the pit of her stomach like a stone when the smile he'd given her afterward was not one of amusement or softness, but almost frightening. She didn't know what that meant, but she could only assume it was nothing good.

Anko was used to being a strong, competent woman. She had been the only girl in highschool to try out for the boys teams, no matter how often the coaches said they couldn't let her on. It was a matter of upshowing every boy she could. She was used to being able to function with or without support, though she had decided that being without made life much easier. She tried to stay at her physical and mental peak.

When she had originally moved to this city, it was to find a new beginning. She wanted to be in a place where she could excel in her own eyes without drawing unnecessary attention from others.

What she hadn't planned on was her employer.

They referred to him by one name: Orochimaru.

No one ever spoke of a last name, assuming he had one. At times he seemed so exotic that she wouldn't be surprised if he didn't.

* * *

He could barely hear the hushed argument, and not well enough to know what was being said. He just knew that Itachi was home, fighting with some girl.

_Hn._ He snorted softly. _Wonder who the bimbo is this time._ There was no doubt in his mind that Itachi had ditched Sakura – she was a bookworm, for one. And for two, she was younger than the girls he often brought home. Probably not as – _God forbid I'm about to think about this_, he shuddered – experienced either. He wasn't even sure why his brother had asked the girl out in the first place. Sakura was not unpretty. But she certainly was more the type for hiding in a library than the adventuring the lifestyle that Itachi so enjoyed.

He looked up from his books (all-nighters were nothing new to him) as he heard his brother's door open and slam shut again, the argument replaced by the muffled sounds of a girl crying. He hoped that the noise hadn't woken his parents downstairs, but there was no indication that it had. The crying didn't stop, and he slowly realized she probably didn't have a clue of where to go. It was nearly four in the morning. Buses didn't run at this hour, and who knew if she lived close or not.

He decided to take the chivalrous path, and opened the door. She was on the floor, curled up and crying into her arms. The pink hair was unmistakable – he didn't know any other girls who had it, at least.

"Sakura?" She peered up at him, her face flushed with what he assumed was alcohol. She was wearing nothing but one of Itachi's t-shirts.

"He's mad at me." She sniffed quietly. His annoyance for Itachi grew a little at that point. Sure, Sasuke wasn't exactly known for being loving, but he was better than getting a date drunk and promptly abandoning her in a house she had never stayed in before, with no way home. He leaned down and put his hand on her arm, running the situation through his head for a moment. He clearly wasn't going to send her off and out of the house, or leave her in the hallway, but confronting his brother didn't seem like an enjoyable option, and neither did setting her up on the couch or in the guestroom. Meeting his parents alone and with a hangover in their son's shirt would be humiliating to say the least.

"I'll yell at you in the morning. Just get up and you can stay in my room tonight." She didn't move, so he finally gripped both of her arms and put some force into pulling her to her feet. She sniffled a little and tried to rub her eyes as he led her carefully back to the room. "How much did you drink?"

"I don't remember." The words sounded tired and sad, but not too slurred, so he assumed it couldn't have been an ungodly amount. He left her on the edge of the bed and returned with a glass of water.

"Drink this, and then lay down," He ordered, finding it hard to even be angry with her. Sakura looked so small then. Not even remotely like the obnoxious and competitive girl he was used to. It was almost painful to watch. Sighing, he cleaned up his textbooks and neatly recorded notes as she complied, and then put together a makeshift bed for himself on the floor.

The morning was not going to be enjoyable.

* * *

The first thought that entered Nara Shikamaru's head was that, among too bright and loud, his life was far too troublesome at the moment.

His head felt like it was full of water, except at least if it really _had_ been, then it would have muffled sound. Far-too-loud music was invading his ears, amplified even through the walls as he reattempted opening his eyes.

The second thought that entered Nara Shikamaru's head was that he'd done something very, very stupid. There was a soft, thin arm draped around his waist, which wouldn't have been worrisome if it weren't for the fact that he was completely undressed.

Or that the girl lying next to him was _clearly_ not his girlfriend.

She was still sleeping soundly - she'd most likely had much more to drink than him, because no matter how pretty she was, she smelled so strongly of alcohol that he almost reeled back. Her bright yellow hair was trapped strangely in four disheveled pigtails, keeping her cutely rounded face in clear view. He couldn't remember her name, which made him think maybe he'd never learned it.

"Shit." He moved more quickly to get his things than he should have, because the world tipped for a moment, and he threw his hand out, catching the bedside table and knocking an arrangement of things to the floor. He swore again, pulling on his discarded clothes.

A disgruntled TenTen was downstairs, washing out cans and bottles.

"You were still here? Ino went looking for you a few hours ago and then headed home." She stifled a yawn and peeked back through the window at the slowly rising sun. "Seemed pretty annoyed."

Shikamaru couldn't even be bothered to give his usual "Feh"-type response.

"Are you... okay?" His mumbled response could barely be made out as he stalked through the door. TenTen frowned, but resumed picking up containers from around the few fallen partygoers who had stayed in the large home overnight. "Boys…"

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**A/N:** Forgive length issues. For two or so years in the making, I know this was on the short side.


End file.
